Vietnam veterans remember the fallen at 24-hour vigil

Saturday

May 3, 2014 at 6:11 PMMay 3, 2014 at 6:11 PM

By John ReynoldsStaff Writer

Veterans and their families gathered at the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Oak Ridge Cemetery Saturday to remember the soldiers who didn’t make it home from that far-off country so many years ago.

The gathering marked the 26th anniversary of the memorial’s dedication, and was also the start of a 24-hour vigil. During the vigil, veterans stand watch at the memorial, which lists the names of nearly 3,000 Illinoisans who were killed or are listed as missing from the war.

“The vigil symbolizes that we are not forgetting,” said Vietnam veteran and Springfield resident Thomas Jones. “These are our comrades who died. We have not forgotten those who have fallen. We honor them by making sure this happens every year.”

Jones, a Navy corpsman who served with a Marine unit in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, was the master of ceremonies during Saturday’s program. He was also one of the early proponents of the memorial.

Bill Lorton, an Army veteran from Springfield, said the names on the wall bring him back to the annual ceremony each year. He served two tours in Vietnam: one in 1966 and 1967 and a second in 1969 and 1970.

“That’s the biggest thing. To remember those who were over there, those who didn’t come back and those who came back not standing up. It’s an honor to honor these people,” Lorton said.

Navy veteran Dan Underwood of Sherman expressed a similar sentiment. He was on the dock landing ship USS Catamount in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969.

“I’m here for the guys who didn’t make it back,” Underwood said.

Jones said it’s important to remember there is a real person behind each of the names etched into the memorial. He added that he hopes the vigils will continue in the future — even after the veterans who fought in the war have died.

“Obviously, everybody dies. We all grow old,” Jones said. “As we go into the future, it’s going to be the families of those who have served who will carry that mantle on.”

It was a little windy during Saturday’s ceremony, but the sun was shining and it was a comfortable 68 degrees.

Jones said the organizers hold the ceremony each year no matter what is happening with the weather. The ceremony has been held in the bitter cold and during rainstorms.

“We’ve had it where if you didn’t hold onto something, you’d get blown away,” Jones said. “No matter what the weather, no matter what the difficulties, the vigil goes on. That’s the kind of history we want to make sure we leave.”